Nationals' Uggla not comfortable playing in a reserve role

Dan Uggla wants to be an everyday player.

The veteran second baseman is attempting to resurrect his baseball career this spring with the Washington Nationals, but views the opportunity as an all-or-nothing situation.

"I'd have to say no," Uggla told Comcast SportsNet's Mark Zuckerman when asked if he would feel comfortable playing in a reserve role for the club. "I've never done it before. It's not where I feel like I'm at in my career. That's not what I'm looking to do."

Uggla's unwillingness to come off bench could severely hurt his already slim chances of making the 25-man roster, as Nationals already have Yunel Escobar and Danny Espinosa at second base.

Uggla, a three-time All-Star, inked a minor-league contract with the Nats in December after a miserable 2014 campaign that saw him get cut by the Atlanta Braves and then the San Francisco Giants.

The 35-year-old took a respectable .278 spring average and .422 on-base percentage into action Sunday.